Wuxia Edge - Ancient Chinese Series Blog

New and Upcoming Wuxia and Ancient Chinese Series 2012-2013

So, people have asked: What’s the latest new series coming out? The reason why I actually don’t write a lot about new series is I’m never sure if they’re gonna be subbed. Since this is a promoting Ancient Chinese Series and Wuxia website, I don’t really want to talk a lot about shows that people can’t get to see, that’s like opening a can of worms and just tossing them away. But, I will mention a few names of shows that’s coming out.

Swordsman 2012
Starring: Wallace Huo, Yuan Shan Shan

The story is about friendship and love, deception and betrayal, ambition and lust for power. In the middle of it all is, Ling Hu Chong, an orphan who is the senior student of Yue Buqun, leader of Huashan Sect, and the protagonist of the story. The story deals with his journey and development as a swordsman and his witness to the various intrigues which take place in the martial world of the story.

Swordsman is a remake of Jin Yong’s The Smiling Proud Wanderer/Laughing in the Wind. I actually have never seen any of the old versions even though I really wanted to, so I am super curious to see this. Now I’ve been anticipating this show for a while because Jin Yong is the author behind this and I really enjoyed his other works. I really love that Wallace Huo is playing the male lead in it, and I love seeing Yuan Shan Shan play a girl who knows martial arts, because so far, I’ve only seen her in Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei playing a commoner. I really love the special effects, the fights and opening song for the show, Wallace Huo has such a great singing voice. The costumes have been really bright and beautiful, which is something I enjoy seeing.

The trailer released for this looks really kickass, so it definitely makes me excited. I really hope this is going to be a great remake.

The King of Lanling
Starring: Ariel Lin, Feng Shaofeng

The King of Lan Ling is one of the four most handsome men in ancient Chinese history. A masterful warrior, he led his army into battle and vanquished his foes while wearing a fearsome mask to hide his beauty. The King of Lan Ling’s name is Gao Chang Gong and he was a famed general and prince during the Northern Qi period. His legend painted him as a generous and loyal person, who treated his soldiers with care and respect. The love triangle will be between Ariel and Feng Shao Feng as the King of Lan Ling and Daniel as the King of Northern Zhou.The drama will be produced by Chen Yu Shan, the producer of Material Queen.

I’m pretty sure this is historical, though I’m not too sure exactly what. I’ve been anticipating this for a while. The trailers look quite great, I don’t really know from the trailer about what kind of person Ariel Lin is going to play, but I will certainly miss her playing mischievous characters like Xiaoqi and Rong’er, but I do like to see her try different roles and see her acting skills and how it differs.

The photos I’ve seen for King of Lanling looks really beautiful and I love all of Ariel’s costumes and hairstyles. They’re simply stunning! Though I’m so sad that Huang Yiqing has quit voice acting so she can’t dub Ariel Lin but I am excited at the same time because I think she’ll be dubbing herself, or that the actors will use their original voices. I always wanted to hear Ariel Lin’s real voice in a show, then I’d feel it was complete, that it really was all her.

Legend of the Purple Hairpin
Starring: Michelle Ye, Raymond Lam

Legend of the Purple Hairpin is a tragic love story about Li Yi, a Tang dynasty scholar who fell in love at first sight with a beautiful dancer, Huo Xiaoyan. They soon marry and he gave her a purple hairpin as a token of their love. However, on the night of their marriage, Yi was forced to join the army, thus was not allowed to return home. He leaves Xiaoyan waiting painfully for his return. Three years later, he returned. Despite thinking they’d never separate again, he was terribly wrong.

I honestly didn’t know much about this series except for the description and name, but I have to say, the name just intrigues me a lot. I do really enjoy seeing the colorful pictures of the series though.

Demi Gods and Semi Devils 2012
Starring: Wallace Chung, Kim Kibum
The epic centers around the Beggar Leader Qiao Feng, the Dali Prince Duan Yu and the Shaolin Monk Xu Zhu. Each of their stories are interweaved throughout the show and finally clash and join at the climax of the story.

Qiao Feng’s story is his quest to find his real identity and the mystery surrounding an event that occured 30 years prior that left him as an orphan. Duan Yu’s story covers his meetings with many of his half sisters that he did not know he had (thanks to his adventurous dad during his young days) and the battle with Duan Yuan Qing as the rightful ruler of Dali. Xu Zhu is a lowly Shaolin Monk who gets caught in the middle of an internal struggle of the Care Free Sect, one of the most powerful and secretative sects around. Their stories take place during the Northern Song Dynasty and across warring kingdoms of Song, Liao, Dali, and Western Xia.

This is a new remake of Jin Yong’s novel with the same name. It’s another Wuxia series I haven’t seen yet which I keep meaning to, and the pictures look quite good! I know that they’re using a Korean actor for one of the main leads, and I think the creator also did The Mischievous Princess. If that’s the case, I have faith in this version because I loved The Mischievous Princess a lot. I always have high hopes for a production if I know the director/producer has done other series I enjoyed.

Though I know some may disagree, I think it’s a pretty clever idea to use a Korean actor, because it gives people in Korea, as well as his fans to get exposed to different types of work, and perhaps learn more about Wuxia, which is something I’ve always loved. I think it’s a great method of bringing new fans interested! It reminds me of how Vivian Hsu, a brilliant Taiwanese actress made a name for herself in Japan and a lot more people know her because of it!

They’ve actually released a first trailer for this, to my surprise because I thought I wouldn’t see a trailer until 2013. Wait, we’re already in 2013. That is sad. I didn’t even realize that. ARGH! I’m just crazy, dammit! Time’s going to fast and I’m just rambling about time.

Ballad of the Desert
Starring: Liu Shi Shi, Eddie Peng, Hu Ge

Yu Jin was raised with the people of Xiongnu, though her foster father is a Han. Due to political change within the Xiongnu, she was forced to flee to Chang’an, the capital then of the early Han Dynasty, changing her name to Jin Yu along the way. She first meets the calm and kind Meng Xi Mo, under the alias Meng Jiu on her journey, and later the handsome but cold general Huo Qubing. Jin Yu falls for one, but was rejected. Will she untangle her love knot? Who will she choose in the end?

My most anticipated series because it’s a Tangren production and it stars Liu Shi Shi, Hu Ge, Eddie Peng and a few others! Now, this is almost like a freaking Chinese Paladin reunion, which is like the greatest thing ever since I love that series. I absolutely adore the stunning costumes and gorgeous pictures I’ve seen. I am absolutely sure this show won’t disappoint because all Tangren series I’ve seen turned out amazing!

I know this is based on Tong Hua’s novel and Liu Shi Shi plays a girl raised by wolves and there’s a love story involved with Hu Ge and Eddie Peng’s character, and that she eventually did not end up with Hu Ge yet again, so I’m still waiting for the series where they finally pair up! I’m hoping this has some really kickass martial arts because I love to see her fight!

Legend of the White Haired Demoness
Starring: Nicky Wu, Ma Su

In Ming Dynasty China during Tian Qi Emperor’s fourth year of reign, the people of Guang Yuan continue to face crop failure and famine. Zhuo Ji Xian, an official of the Ministry of Revenue, is dispatched by order of the crown prince to deliver rations and fodder to the stricken region. While passing through the Jade Dragon Mountains, he and his men, along with the provisions, are seized by Lian Ni Chang, a female vigilante. Zhuo Ji Xian’s son Zhuo Yi Hang, Wu Dang’s head disciple, comes to his father’s rescue, thereby becoming embroiled in the battle between the crown prince, infamous eunuch politician Wei Zhong Xian, and Lian Ni Chang. Although the two start off on the wrong foot, Zhuo Yi Hang and Lian Ni Chang are mutually attracted to each other and fall in love. However, misunderstandings occur that cause a rift in their relationship, and Lian Ni Chang’s hair turns white overnight after believing that Zhuo Yi Hang has betrayed her. To restore Lian Ni Chang’s former beauty and reunite with his lover, Zhuo Yi Hang travels to Mount Heaven in search of a legendary rare flower that blooms only once every 60 years.

You know what, I refuse, and I mean: Refuse to call this catchy title, “The Bride with the White Hair”. That just sounds completely misleading, about an old woman getting married. I really love the original Chinese name and I wonder what the heck were they thinking when they translated Demoness as Bride, it may as well be as bad as calling Till Death Do Us APART instead of Don’t Love Me. But, my point is – I really like what I saw of the series, I only saw the beginning because I really am so busy these days to watch new shows.

I really love the main leads, Nicky Wu and Ma Su. I think they look awesome together, I also really enjoy seeing the other actors.

Despite most people’s thoughts, I actually LOVE the costume and CGI, I really don’t see a problem with Wuxia using special effects like that. The beginning part almost reminded me a bit of Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei! I really love the martial arts, the costumes, general atmosphere. I just wish I had more time to watch these awesome new series. But in a way, I don’t want to get invested too much in a show if it’s not subbed because I know I’d want to sub it, or share it and it would be so frustrating if I couldn’t or didn’t have the time.

A couple of other series to mention: Bu Bu Jing Qing will be the sequel of Bu Bu Jing Xin but set in modern times about the “princes” fighting over a business company. There’s also The Legend of Chu and Han, which tells the history of Qin Dynasty and events which happened between Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, created by the same people who did Three Kingdoms.

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3 Comments

WUXIA FANN! says

2013-10-25 04:08:29

Can someone give me links to Shangri-la one with working eng subtitles. I tried vikki but majority of episodes did not have english subs. LOVE HU GE’s acting in this one have seen all his wuxia series so far and this one is probably on the top of the list.